Senior White House adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is playing a key behind-the-scenes role in the administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 5,000 Americans.
According to Politico, Kushner is spearheading the effort to get more Americans tested for the COVID-19 virus and is encouraging and negotiating with manufacturers to produce additional medical supplies to help frontline healthcare workers stay safe. He is also dealing with the logistics of getting those supplies where they need to be.
Kushner is working with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials as part of his effort that also includes an ex-roommate of his — U.S. International Development Finance Corporation CEO Adam Boehler — and people from the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Politico reported.
Some have called the team the "all-of-private-sector" operation. Vice President Mike Pence is in charge of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, which includes several government officials who brief the media on a daily basis about the virus and the administration's response to it.
Some people involved in the virus response have claimed that Kushner's role has led to confusion and a lack of communication between teams, noted Politico, which spoke with 11 people involved in the effort.
Kushner's role in the White House response to the virus was reported two weeks ago. His team of private sector experts has been called the "shadow task force." Government officials have claimed the effort is adding confusion to the overall handling of the pandemic, but Kushner told The Washington Post that he is seeing measurable progress.
"We're getting things done in record speeds and are doing everything possible to avoid damage and mitigate the negative impacts," he said.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.